Air-brake.



no. 546,447. Patented Apr'. s, moo.

AIR BRAKE.

(Appuein med sept. 22, 1897.)

(No Modal.)

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ITE STATES PATENT Erice.

CHARLES EASTMAN MORGAN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TWO-TI-IIRDS TO DE WITT O. SOUTHWORTI-I AND ALBERT LAMBERT, OF SAME PLACE.

AIR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,447, dated April 3, 1900.

Application filed September 22, 1897. Serial No. 652,587. (No model.)

To all whom t nca/y concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES EASTMAN MoR- GAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to 1o which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved airbrake mechanism more especially adapted for use on street-cars, and in its general construction embodies a novel pumping means havx 5 ing regulating devices operated by the motorman adapted to be set in operation from one of the truck-axlesto charge up a reservoir carried'on the car-body, from which at the Will of the motorman air is fed into the brakezo cylinder.

In its subordinate features this invention comprehends the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be first described in detail and then be specificz 5 ally pointed out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a car-truck frame having my improved air-brake mechanism 3o applied, parts being in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan View, partly in section, of the airholding reservoir and the top of the valvechamber. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe slidevalve. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the valve devices for regulating the connection of the pump and the brake-piston with the reservoir. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the motormans shifting lever devices. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the connection between 4o the valve-stem and the motormans shifting device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

1 indicates the car-truck of the ordinary construction, and 3 indicates a cross bar or beam v to which the swinging brake-lever and the pump-cylinder are secured. The pump-cylinder 4,connected to the beam 3 inany suitable manner, has its compression end connected by means of the pipe 6 with 5o the air-holder 5, suitably mounted on the car and preferably centrally thereof, as it in practice is intended to supply air to the brake devices for the truck at each end of the car.

One end of the cylinder 4 is open to allow for the free play of the piston-rod, which is pivotally joined to a cup-shaped piston in the usual manner.

The outer end ofthe rod 4"L is provided with a band '7, adapted to encircle an eccentric 8, loosely mounted on the car-axle 8 and heldv to abut a stationary collar 9 and a sliding clutch-collar 10 on such axle Si. The collar 10, which is held to rotate with the axle, is adapted to be moved into a tight frictional engagement with the eccentric 8, to make it turn with it, by means of the lever 11, fulcrnmed at one end on the truck-frame and having its other end secured to the rod 12 of a piston 4, operating in a snbcylinder 13, formed integral with the pump-cylinder 4, into which air is let, back oi' the piston 4, from the holder 5 through the feed-pipe 15..

So far as described the operation is as follows: When it is desired to charge the holder 5, communication is opened up between such holder and the cylinder 13 bysnitable valveshifting mechanism under the control of the motorman, (which will hereinafter be fully explained.) The air-pressure forces the piston 14inward and in consequence moves the lever 11 to an apply positiomwhich locks the clutch member 10 and the eccentric by frictional contact, causing them to rotate together, thereby setting the pump storing up air to the holder 5. `As-soon as the air in the cylinder is exhausted the piston 14 and the lever 11 are returned to their normal position by the spring 27,' the end of which is connected to the beam 3, as shown. The swinging brake-lever 1S is secured to the beam 3 and has attached thereto at points opposite its fulcrum the brake-beam rods 20 20, which extend in opposite directions and connect with the brake-beams 19 19, as shown. The lever 18 is held to its released ornormal position by the rod and spring devices 26 and is moved to its forward or braking position by the air-operated piston and rod 16, operating in the cylinder 16, which is charged when it is desired to apply the brakes from the main reservoir or holder 5 by the pipe 17, which opens into the cylinder 16 at the front of the IOO piston and connects with the valve-chamber of the said holder, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. By arranging the brake-applying devices as shown and described it is obvious that so soon as a charge of air is opened into the cylinder the lever 18 will be swung in the direction indicated by the arrow and the brakes applied, the force of such application being at the will of the motorman, as Will presently appear.

In the practical application of my invention any suitable shifting valve mechanism under control of the motorman may be employed which will serve to feed and exhaust the brake-cylinder, and as it so does cut ont the pump-cylinder, and for cutting in the pump-cylinder as the brake-cylinder is cut out.

The holder is provided in its valve-seat with four feed-ports a', a2, as, and a4, one of which, d, is located at the extreme right end. On this valve-seat is arranged a reciprocating slide-valve 25, provided with seven ports b', b2, and b3, b4, b5, b, and 197. The portsvb', b3, and b5 are adapted to register with the feedports ct', d2, and 01,3 to supply compressed air to the brake-cylinders and to the clutch-cylinder in applying the brakes, and the port 117 is adapted to register with the feed-port a4 to supply air to the clutchcylinder for charging the holder when not applying the brake. The cap or top of the valvechamber has three ex haust-ports c', c2, and o3 opening to the atmosphere. The pipe 17 at the left-hand end of the holder is provided with leads 17a and 17b for the admission and exhaust of air, respectively, and the right-hand pipe 17 is provided with reversely-arranged leads 17c and 17. The pipe 15 has leads 15a and 15b for the admission of air designed to be used, respectively,when the brakes are being applied and when charging the holder simply, and it is also provided with an exhaust-lead 15C, which is located at a point between the leads 15 and 15b. When the port D7 of the slide-valve registers with the feed for simply charging the cylinder, all the other ports of the holder are closed and air passes through the said ports a4 and 197 and enters the pipe 15 through the lead 15b and operates the clutch. Should the holder be entirely empty, it is then charged by temporarily locking the clutch-lever in its engaging position by any suitable means, and after the holder is charged the clutch-lever is released aud can then be operated by compressed air. The slide-valve is in the said position when the motormans lever is at the notch 49. The pipe 17 at the right-hand end of the holder in Fig. 1 communicates with the brake-cylinder 16, as shown, and the pipe 17 at the left-hand end of the holder communicates with the brake-cylinder at the opposite end of the car. to the position shown at 50 in Fig. 5 of the drawings the valve is moved to the left and the ports d'4 and'b7 are closed, and the port b4 establishes communication between the ex- By shifting the lever 23 haust-lead l5C of the pipe 15 and the exhaust# port c2 of the top of the holder, thereby permitting the air to exhaust from the pipe 15 and disengage the clutch. When the valve is in this position, the ports b2 and bG are also in register with the ports c and c3 to permit air to exhaust from. the pipes 17 through the leads 17b and 17d, andthe valve is brought to this position after an application of the brakes. A movement of the Valve to the notch 52 gradually closes the exhaust-ports c' and c3 and partly opens the ports ct', a2, and a3 by reason of the ports b', b3, and b5 in the slide-valve communicating therewith. By moving the lever 23 still farther to the left to notches 53 54 the inlet-ports a', CL2, and a3 Will be gradually opened to the fullest extent. When the ports a', a2, and CL3 are opened, air is admitted to the pipes 17 and 15 through the leads 17, 17C, and 15a to apply the brakes and operate the clutch to keep up the pressure in the holder. After the brakes have been set as tight as desired to hold them the lever 23 is moved to the right to the notch 51, which adjustment moves the Valve 25 to close olf the ports ct, a2, and a3 and again partially opens the exhaust-ports c2, which adjustment ot' the valve and the several ports noted releases the clutch, but does not permit the air held within the pipe 17 to escape, as the said movementof the valve 23 to the right at this time also cuts off the leads 17b and 171 to the said pipes 17, and thereby keeps the brakes applied, which is advantageous, particularly in descending a grade. Another movement of the lever 23 to the right to the notch 50 will carry the valve 25 back and bring its ports b2, b4, and h6 again into register with ports c', c2, and c3, (see Fig. 4,) which permits the air to again exhaust from the pipes 17 and 15, as before explained.

The shank or shaft 23'L of the motormans lever is provided with an arm 28h, which is connected with the valve-stem 25a, and a pressure-gage 24 is mounted upon the table to keep the motorman posted as to the pressure in theair-holder.

While the arrangement of the several parts as illustrated in the drawings discloses the general idea of my invention, it is manifest the details of construction may be modified, and changes, such as arranging the feed-ports of the holder and the corresponding ports of the slide-valve longitudinally of the holder to eect a more gradual opening of the same, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim- 1. An air-brake, comprising a pump provided with a piston and piston-rod, an eccentric loosely mounted on the car-axle, a collar surrounding said eccentric and connected with the piston-rod, an air-reservoir connect ed with the said pump and provided with openings, a slide-valve mounted upon said airreservoir and having openings adapted to register with the openings of the reservoir,

IOO

IIO

IZO

"means for controlling Ythe movements of the slide-valve, a cap for the slide-valve connected at each end with a brake-cylinder, a piston and piston-rod Working in such cylinder, a brake-lever attached to such piston rod, brakes connected to said lever, an air-cylinder 14 in communication With the valve-cap, a lever 1l connected With the piston of the cylinder 14, anda collar mounted on the caraxle and provided with a roughened face and adapted to be brought into engagement with the eccentric, substantially as described.

2. An air-brake, comprising a pump, a reservoir connected therewith and provided with ports, brake-cylinders, pipes 17, connected With the latter, a clutch-cylinder, having a feed-pipe 15, a slide-valve having ports to register with those of the reservoir, and a valve-cap having exhaust-ports and provided with feed and exhaustv leads communicating with the pipes 17 and arranged in pairs, lsaid cap'having a pair of feed-leadsl and an intermediate eXhaust-lead communicating with the pipe 15, substantially as described.

3. In an air-brake, the combination of a 2 5' reservoir having ports ct', et?, cts and d4, a cap provided with central exhaust-ports c', c2 and c3, and having at one side feed and exhaust leads arranged 'in pairs, said cap being pro= vided at the opposite side With feed-leads 15a, 3o and 15b, and an intermediate exhaust-lead 15?, and the slide-valve provided with ports b', b2, b3, b4, b5, bG and b", substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib- 35 ing Witnesses. I

CHARLES EASTMAN MORGAN.

Witnesses:

A. T. LEWIS, v W. A. LAIDLAW. 

